As you grow older, you are more susceptible to issues with your eyes like dry eye. Dry eye is an eye condition that occurs when your eyes stop producing enough tears to keep them lubricated and moist, leaving your eyes red, irritated, and dry.
An eye exam from Hester Eye Associates can determine if you are suffering from dry eye syndrome. If so, we can recommend treatment.
Importance of Tears in Eye Health
Tears are essential to the health of your eyes. They lubricate the surface of your eyes to keep them clear and smooth. They also cleanse your eyes of dust and debris that can cause infections.
Reduced tear production can result in dry, irritated eyes that are more susceptible to infections and diseases. Dry eye can also occur if your eyes produce low-quality tears that do not keep your eyes lubricated and moist.
Causes of Dry Eye
There is no single cause of dry eye as numerous factors can affect tear production to cause this condition. Age is one of them. As you age, your eyes produce fewer tears, which is why dry eye occurs more often in older people.
Certain medical conditions and certain types of medications can also affect the quantity and quality of your tears to cause dry eye. Dry climates, air pollution, overexposure to the sun, and excessive use of computers are other factors that can reduce tear production and lead to dry eye.
Dry Eye Symptoms
If you have dry eye, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:
- Dry, itchy eyes
- Irritated, burning eyes
- A gritty sensation in your eye
- Blurred vision
- Redness
- Sensitivity to light
- Watery eyes
- Mucus inside your eye
Dry Eye Diagnosis and Treatment
Our doctors can test you for dry eye during an eye health evaluation. We will test the quantity and quality of your tears to determine if you have this syndrome. If so, we will evaluate the severity of your condition to recommend a treatment plan.
Dry eye treatments vary according to the severity of your condition. If you have a mild case of dry eye, we may recommend OTC artificial tears to keep your eyes moist and reduce symptoms.
For more severe cases of dry eye, you may need prescription eye drops and nutritional supplements to stimulate tear production and relieve symptoms. We may also recommend tear duct plugs to keep tears from draining out of your eyes to reduce dryness and irritation.
See Doctors Hester and Lakhani for Dry Eye Diagnosis and Treatment
Do not let dry eye lower your quality of life. Contact Hester Eye Associates in Kennesaw, GA at (770) 590-8191 today for dry eye diagnosis and treatment. We are here to meet all your eye care needs.